


The Prettiest Flower

by WuvWinchesterHugs



Category: Animaniacs, Wakko's Wish - Fandom
Genre: Angst, Backstory, Fire, Gen, Protective Siblings, Sibling Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-06
Updated: 2021-01-07
Packaged: 2021-03-09 21:21:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 8
Words: 11,956
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27922945
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WuvWinchesterHugs/pseuds/WuvWinchesterHugs
Summary: The true story behind Dot's favorite story about their parents.
Comments: 43
Kudos: 111





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Creativity_Unrestrained](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Creativity_Unrestrained/gifts).



> Fair warning, I'm still very new to the Animaniacs fandom, and this is my first fic. All mistakes made are my own.

Fire.

Smoke.

Ash.

Screaming.

Those are the first things that attack Yakko Warner’s senses when he first wakes up.

The second one being that he has to get the hell out of here.

In an instant, he’s out of his canopy bed and getting the hell out of his chambers, running towards his brother’s.

The door’s too heavy with the flames surrounding it, and he doesn’t want to risk pulling a mallet out of his hammerspace and taking the whole structure down by knocking down the door.

Covering his mouth and hands, he counts to three and kicks at the door, watching it give slightly, then kicks it again, one more time, and with one last kick, the door’s a splintered mess, but now he can get inside.

Fire.

Smoke.

Ash.

Screaming.

Those are the things still attacking all of Yakko’s senses when he finally gets inside, but he only allows himself the smallest sense of relief when he sees the screaming is not coming from Wakko.

Which is quickly replaced by panic when he realizes Wakko is still asleep, but whether that’s due to smoke inhalation or because he’s a sound sleeper, Yakko can’t tell.

What he is able to tell is that if he’s going to get them both the hell out of here, he needs to ensure Wakko stays asleep.

Quickly, Yakko stomps on the flames closest to the bed, to ensure they don’t reach the bed covers, and after a small coughing fit, wraps Wakko up in the blanket, careful to keep his arms tucked in to minimize movement, and hightails it out of the room.

Fire.

Ash.

Smoke.

Screaming.

Those are the things Yakko’s choosing to ignore as he finally manages to get them both out of the castle, settling Wakko, blanket and all, down in the garden far enough away so the flames can’t reach him.

But then, with a start, Yakko realizes their parents are still in there. But what about Wakko?

Yakko can’t move, paralyzed at the thought of having to choose. If he goes back inside, that means leaving Wakko by himself, even if he’s still miraculously asleep.

But if he doesn’t, and their parents are still alive, he’ll never forgive himself for not at least trying to save them.

Resolved, Yakko pulls out some necessities out of his hammerspace, including several wooden planks and a hammer, which he quickly forms into a makeshift shack, a mattress, blanket and pillow, which he carefully sets Wakko down on so as not to jostle him, and a door, which he quickly installs onto the shack and closes, once he’s sure Wakko’s not waking up.

But then, thinking better of it, he also pulls out Wakko’s gag bag, and dumps all his favorite foods into it.

If he doesn’t make it out, all he can hope for is that Wakko always remembers how much his big brother loved him.

Fire.

Smoke.

Ash.

Screaming.

These are the things Yakko’s actively choosing to run back towards, despite all the chaos and destruction accompanied by doing so. 

He tries to follow the sounds of the screams as best he can, but it’s proven difficult with the combination of smoke watering his eyes and fire blocking him at almost every turn.

Several doorways prove to be dead ends, and he can’t even tell if they were actual ones, or if the fire made the ceiling cave in and made a new one.

Eventually, the screams get louder, or at least he thinks they do, and he turns into an open doorway, and he finally recognizes the King and Queen’s chambers.

“MOM! DAD! I’M COMING!” Yakko screams, not even knowing if they can hear him, but praying that they can.

The whole room looks worse than the rest of the castle, which tells Yakko that this is where the fire was set.

But before he can even dwell on that, he hears another scream, and he knows he can’t afford to get distracted, not with their parents’ lives on the line.

He carefully watches his step among the fire and rubble, looking for his and Wakko’s parents as they go, and for the first time since he came back in here, he starts to panic when he can’t find them.

But then, there they are. Trapped under a bunch of wooden beams, from where the ceiling caved in, covered in grime and blood, but alive.

“MOM! DAD! It’s okay! I’m here! I’m gonna get you out!” Yakko yells at them, immediately moving to try and get the beams off of them, wishing, for a moment, that Wakko was here so he could just simply eat them.

But then, Yakko feels a hand on his arm as he tries to lift the beams, and when he looks, he sees the Queen, eyes wide, pleading with him, “Yakko, you need to go!”

But Yakko’s just as stubborn as he ever was, ignoring her plea as he tries to lift the beams again.

Then the King grabs Yakko’s arm right next to hers, ordering, “Yakko, I order you to listen to your mother! Take your brother and leave!”

But Yakko can’t focus on that right now, as he finally manages to lift the beams a few inches off the ground.

Unfortunately, that’s all he manages to move, as once he’s lifted them, they instantly become heavier to hold up, and Yakko doesn’t even know if it’s because of the weight or because exhaustion is finally starting to set in.

But then, he watches as the king and queen’s eyes go wide, simultaneous looks of horror in their eyes as they scream,

“Yakko, RUN!”

The scream throws him off balance, and when he turns to see what they’re looking at, the only thing he really registers is one moment he’s holding up a pile of heavy beams, and the next he’s falling backwards, no longer aware of what’s happening or where he is or why he’s suddenly looking up at the sky, right next to Wakko's makeshift shack.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! 
> 
> First off, let me apologise from the bottom of my heart for taking so long to write a second chapter, but recently my mom texted me to tell me she'd tested positive for Covid, and suddenly this fic's story felt like it was hitting a little too close to home to keep going.
> 
> That being said, I did my absolute best to at the very least put out a second chapter on this Christmas Eve, as my gift to all my readers following along.
> 
> Thank you for being so patient, and I wish you all a safe and Happy Holiday!

Fire

Ash

Smoke

Screaming

These are the things haunting Yakko’s mind once he wakes up again, but unlike last time, now he’s outside, on the dirt ground, lying next to a haphazardly built shack containing his little brother, before he remembers what happened.

Funny, how when you’re doing the tried and true “someone tries to throw you out, then you throw them out instead” gag, you never think about what it’s like on the receiving end.

He sits up slowly, still half asleep, half not entirely comprehending what’s happening.

The screaming has stopped, and it’s only the shock that prevents him from fully accepting what that means.

But he can’t think about that right now, because he has a little brother still inside the little wooden shack, and he needs his brother more than he needs his--

No, don’t go there right now. Go get Wakko. Make sure he’s okay.

Yakko takes this advice, standing up slowly so as not to aggravate himself further. He limps towards the shack’s door, wincing now and again as he realizes he burnt his feet when he went inside.

He opens the door slowly, to prevent the door's hinges from squeaking loud enough to wake Wakko up, if he isn't already.

The first thing he registers is how dark it is, and once his eyes adjust, he sees Wakko, still asleep, tongue hanging out.

Yakko lets out a sigh of relief, then walks towards the mattress, sitting on the edge as he slowly reaches for Wakko, pulling him into his arms, stroking his miraculously still gloved hands through Wakko’s fur.

Hungry.

Food.

Where’s Yakko?

Food.

Those are the thoughts running through Wakko’s mind when he wakes up. Very slowly, he opens his eyes, and once his eyes adjust, the first thing that registers is he’s not laying down in his own bed.

The second one being that someone’s arms are wrapped around him, stroking his fur.

Immediately, Wakko starts squirming, about to scream, but then he hears,

“Sh. Wakko, it’s okay. It’s just me.”

That’s just about the only thing that could’ve stopped a full blown patented Wakkarotti Scream, and upon hearing Yakko’s voice, he immediately relaxes.

What Wakko really wants to do is get up and eat something, but perhaps sensing there’s a reason for this sudden early morning hug, he waits, letting Yakko keep petting him until his fur almost turns rumpled.

And then, finally, Wakko can’t help it any longer, and says, “M’hungry. Let’s go eat.”

Oddly, instead of getting up, Yakko just moves him so he can look him in the eye, which is when Wakko first sees the redness of his older sibling’s eyes, and the tear tracks dried on his face.

What’s even weirder is how instead of saying anything about it, Yakko just sniffs, saying, “Yeah, we can do that. I put some stuff in your bag. All your favorites.”

Yakko sets him down again to reach for Wakko’s gag bag, but it’s right as he does so that Wakko realizes not only is he not sitting on his own bed, he’s not even in his own room.

Instead, he’s apparently been sleeping in some odd looking shack, consisting of the mattress they’re sitting on, along with a blanket and pillow that clearly didn’t come from their rooms.

“Yakko, what’s goin’ on?” Wakko asks curiously, but apparently that was the wrong thing to say, as the second the words are out of his mouth, more tears fall out of Yakko’s eyes, and almost immediately, he’s grabbing him and wrapping him up in his arms again, hugging him even tighter.

“Where’s Mum n’ Dad?” Wakko asks, and again, Yakko doesn’t answer, only appearing to get more upset every time Wakko tries to ask him anything.

But somehow, Yakko manages to say, with a broken voice, “They’re...Wakko, I’m sorry, but they’re gone.”

That doesn’t clear anything up at all, only serving to confuse things even more, so Wakko reminds him, “Gone? But they can’t! It’s the first day of spring! They never miss the first day of spring!”

First

Day

Of

Spring

That is the only thought hitting Yakko like an anvil when Wakko mentions what day it is. Somewhere in all the chaos and confusion, Yakko had completely forgotten about it. But even without checking the date, he knows it’s true.

And with a start, he remembers this particular first day of spring was supposed to be extra special. Mom and Dad spent a good several months talking about how this would be one they’d remember for the rest of their lives, and from this point on, they’d have a new reason to celebrate it every year.

But every time they’d begged their parents to tell them why, or what would happen, they’d just said to be patient, and that they would see for themselves when the day came.

And now that day is here.

Yakko spends so much time stuck on that same thought playing through his head, _first day of spring. First day of spring. Firstdayofspringfirstdayofspring,_ he doesn’t even realize Wakko’s been trying to get his attention, tugging on his arm and saying his name.

“Yakko! What about Spring? What’re we gonna do without Mum and Dad?” Wakko begs, not hysterical, but still getting enough sense there’s something really wrong, if their parents aren’t here for the promised extra special first day of spring.

And for a moment, Yakko can’t say anything, almost jealous of how easy it is for Wakko’s only thoughts to consist of being hungry, wondering where mom and dad are, and the first day of spring.

Thoughts that Yakko can’t allow himself the luxury of having anymore, not if he and Wakko stand a chance of surviving on their own.

But since Wakko’s asking…

“I...I think they said something about how if they weren’t here, to go on without them.” Yakko lies, refusing to let himself cry and give himself away. “Yeah, that’s it. They said something about how this one was too important for us to miss.”

For a moment, it looks like Wakko’s not buying it, but then, his stomach growls, so he reaches for his gag bag, the explanation temporarily forgotten as he pulls out some licorice.

“My favorite! Faboo!” Wakko exclaims, before sticking the twisty straws in his mouth.

Yakko lets out a sigh of relief, then reaches out a hand, asking, “Let me in on some of that action, sib, then we’ll head over to the garden.”

Screaming

Wakko

Spring

Mom and Dad

Those are the things occupying Yakko’s thoughts as they walk to the garden. Or, more accurately, the part of the garden that’s still inside the castle walls, before it stretches towards the rest of town. 

Wakko’s hopping alongside him, clearly excited for what could possibly be waiting for them in the garden.

Yakko’s not about to ruin that for him. It may be too late for himself, but his little brother deserves to have one last good thing in his life before it’s overwhelmed by all the bad things sure to come their way.

“Whaddaya think the surprise is, Yakko?” Wakko asks, breaking the silence.

Yakko doesn't answer, because if he’s being honest? He doesn’t care. Why should he? Mom and Dad aren’t here to show them the surprise, and never will be again.

“I don’t know, Wakko.” Yakko finally says, but then he kicks himself, once he realizes all that did was tip Wakko off that something wasn’t right.

“I thought you loved the first day of spring. You said it was your favorite day of the year!” Wakko goes on, and Yakko knows he needs to say something else, quick, before Wakko catches on to anything else.

"It is, sib. It's just…weird not having Mom and Dad with us, that's all."

There. That's not even a lie. Just an under exaggeration. After this, Yakko doubts this day will ever be happy or the same ever again, but at least Wakko will be able to appreciate it like he used to.

Wakko nods, then says, "I know. But it's still going to be great! Just like the first time you brought me to the garden, remember?"

That surprises Yakko enough to where he almost stops, then picks up the pace before Wakko sees it.

He can't believe he forgot about that. Mom and Dad had something super big and important they had to deal with first, so they'd asked Yakko to take Wakko by himself. Yakko hadn't known what was so important they had to miss it, but it was clear whatever it was involved a bunch of grown-ups with stern faces, of which Yakko wanted no part of, so he'd quickly agreed to take Wakko.

As it turned out, that wound up being one of the best days of Yakko's life. He'd loved seeing the look on Wakko's face as he'd taken in the beauty of the garden, seeing how it stretched all over the kingdom.

And Wakko was enthralled as Yakko had made up a story on the spot about how a king had entrusted their parents with the garden, saying it was special, and as long as it was maintained, the kingdom would thrive.

Wakko must be a mind reader, because he says, "I always loved that story. I wonder if the surprise is part of it."

Immediately, Yakko feels a stab of guilt upon hearing that. He'd only been trying to make up for the fact that their parents couldn't be there, and while his storytelling skills were on fire that day, he never considered he'd have to do it again, let alone for the rest of his life.

But to Wakko, he only says, "Could be, sib. But if we're gonna see it, we should really pick up the pace."

Wakko doesn't need to be told twice, as he uses his toon speed to rub straight to the entrance to the atrium of the castle's garden.

And promptly stops dead in his tracks, causing Yakko to bump into him.

"Yakko…" Wakko says softly, and Yakko knows immediately something has to be very, very wrong for him to sound like that, and once he catches up, the reason becomes abundantly clear.

The entire garden, from the flowers to the crops, even the flowers planted in their honor on their birthday, are now nothing but burnt piles of ash, with not even a single flower left behind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know, I know, where's Dot? As I said, she's coming, but this fic turned out to be longer than I planned, so I couldn't bring her in just yet.
> 
> But I promise, she is coming.
> 
> *Blows kiss* Goodnight everybody!


	3. Chapter 3

Wakko.

Wakko.

Wakko

Wakko.

All other thoughts are temporarily forgotten as Yakko immediately grabs Wakko with both hands, pushing his face against his chest, stroking Wakko's fur, as his tiny body shakes violently against him.

"I want Mum n'Dad…" Wakko whimpers.

Yakko hates how useless he feels, but still manages to say, “I know, sib, but they’re not here right now. It’s just me.”, still petting Wakko’s head.

Who knows how long they stay like that, both of them shaking from the horror of the destruction of their parents’ garden, Wakko struggling to move his head, Yakko holding him in place.

“Don’t look, Wakko. I’m begging you, just this once, don’t look.” Yakko pleads, tears streaming down his face. “You don’t need to see this.”

“B-but...” Wakko stammers through his own quiet sobbing, tears staining both Yakko’s slacks and fur. “But it’s supposed to be special!”

If possible, that just makes Yakko hold him tighter, as well as wish more than anything that there was something, anything, that could save this from being the worst day of Wakko’s life, no matter how small.

“I’m sorry, Wakko. I’m so sorry. You’re absolutely right. It was supposed to be special. But some bad men came and ruined it.” Yakko tries to comfort him, only for it to be in vain when Wakko cries harder.

Heart pounding from the panic, Yakko tries again, “Listen, sib, I need you to do something for me. You think you can do it?”

Yakko lets go of Wakko slightly, allowing Wakko to lift his head to look at him, eyes still flooded with tears, and says, “I want you to go back to the shack, wrap yourself in the blanket, and help yourself to some more of the food I put in your gag bag. Alright?”

Wakko doesn’t say anything for a moment, seriously thinking it over, before asking carefully, “What about you?”

Yakko shakes his head, “I’ll be right behind you. I’m just gonna take a quick look through the garden, and then I’ll come back.”

Immediately, Wakko protests, “No! I wanna come with you!”

Yakko won’t hear of it, “Not this time. I’m the oldest, so you gotta do what I say.”

More tears fall out of Wakko’s eyes, “B-but what if the bad men come back? What if they get you too?”

Yakko can’t let him think that, “Don’t go there, Wakko. I’ll be okay. I promise. I’m not gonna leave you by yourself. I’m just gonna take a look through the garden, and then come right back.”

He knows eventually he’s going to have to tell Wakko the full truth, but right now all he cares about is making sure a) that Wakko is temporarily hidden in case the people that did this _do_ come back, and b) that there’s nothing left they can salvage from the garden to take with them as a souvenir.

It’s obvious that Wakko still isn’t entirely convinced, but before Wakko can say so, Yakko interrupts him, “Wakko, please. Today’s already hard enough without you giving me a hard time about it. For once, I really need you to just listen to me.”

Thankfully, Wakko doesn’t reply, and after a minute or two of thinking it over, he nods.

“There we go. And one more thing, and this is important, alright?” Once Wakko nods, Yakko goes on, “Once you’re inside, do not open the door for anyone else but me. Shave and a haircut knock, remember?” Again, Wakko nods, but Yakko needs to make sure, “Repeat it back to me so I know you’re listening.”

Yakko knows he’s probably scaring the hell out of his little brother by talking to him like this, but after the day he’s had, he can’t really afford to be the happy-go-lucky kid his parents raised him to be.

But that doesn't make it any less heartbreaking when he watches as Wakko says through his tears, “G-go back to the shack. Wrap up in a b-blanket. Eat f-food from the bag. W-wait for you.”

Yakko nods along, then pushes, “And?”

Wakko takes a deep breath, then finishes, “A-and don’t open the door for anyone but you. Shave and a haircut knock.”

Yakko sighs in relief, “That’s right. Now, are you ready to go?”

Wakko takes a step back, trying one last time to look at the destroyed garden, before Yakko’s taking a hand to his face and forcing him to look away.

“Don’t, Wakko. I’m already gonna have enough nightmares to last a lifetime, no reason why you have to too. Just head back to the shed.” Yakko orders gently.

But instead, Wakko looks at him for a hard second, then grabs him in another hug, tighter than Yakko was just a few moments ago, sobbing against his chest.

Yakko knows he should really be pushing Wakko harder on this, but for a moment he just lets Wakko cry himself out, reaching under the baseball cap to stroke the back of his head.

Then, finally, Wakko pulls away, and all but orders forcefully, “P-promise me you’re coming back. That y-you’re not gonna let the bad men get you. P-promise!”

Yakko’s taken aback by the sudden outburst, but he quickly pushes it aside, putting his hands on Wakko’s shoulders,and says, “I promise, Wakko. I’m not gonna let anything else happen. I’m gonna be right back.”

Nodding in satisfaction, Wakko turns and starts walking back, Yakko following him with his eyes until he can’t see him, and is sure Wakko listened to him.

Ash.

Smoke.

The garden.

Gone.

Yakko’s almost too numb to feel any of these things as he starts walking through the garden, passing by all the piles of ash that used to be part of some of the happiest memories of his life.

The deeper he goes, the more depressed he gets. He can almost name every section of this garden by name, that’s how important it was to them.

There’s the section they had planted when he was born. When he’d turned 5, they brought him here, and told him his first words were, “Goodnight everybody!”

There’s Wakko’s section. All of them produce, in honor of the younger Warner brother’s healthy appetite. It’s also where Wakko made his first patented Wakkorotti belch, to the tune of, “The Blue Danube.”

There’s...wait, what?

Yakko halts, then double checks, and once he’s done, is sure of it; this part of the section wasn’t here before.

It’s hard to tell, especially with everything burnt to ash, but Yakko knows better. He knows every inch of this garden like the back of his hand, probably even more so than their own parents, and would know if something was missing, or was suddenly there when it didn’t used to be.

For a moment, Yakko wonders if this was the surprise their parents were always talking about, before thinking better of it. Why would they say it’s extra special if it's just a new section of the garden? No different from when Wakko was born.

Honestly, it’s a miracle Yakko’s thoughts aren’t louder than they actually are, and years from now, Yakko will never stop thanking whoever’s out there for that, because it’s that exact reason he hears it.

A cough.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know, I'm a terrible person. But the fic is once again doing its own thing, and refuses to be dissuaded.
> 
> But thankfully there's no way around not bringing Dot into the next chapter, so when I say she'll be showing up, this time I mean it!


	4. Chapter 4

Yakko.

Come back.

I’m scared.

Please.

Like Wakko could be thinking of anything else while he sits in this tiny shack, with only his gag bag and a bed, waiting for Yakko to come back like he promised.

Upon further inspection of the bag, he’d discovered that, true to his word, Yakko had in fact filled it with all his favorites.

But he’d trade them all in a heartbeat if it meant Yakko knocked on the door in the next 5 seconds.

Wakko looks to the door, one ear up as he listens for even the slightest sound, but it stays torturously silent.

Wakko sighs, attempting to chew on some more pasghetti, so Yakko doesn’t get mad at him for not eating.

If Yakko were here, they’d both be having a laugh at the very idea of Wakko deliberately not eating.

But Yakko’s not here. Because Wakko had come back to the shack like he’d promised, and hasn’t left the bed, or taken the blanket off, since making it back.

And because he’d been scared enough to listen to him, Yakko might never come back at all.

“No, no no!” Wakko cries out, pulling the blanket tighter around him. “He’s coming back! He promised he’s coming back! And then we’re gonna make the bad men that ruined Spring our new ‘special friends’.”

Wakko nods, slowly calming down as this new thought sits in his mind.

Right before it crumbles when he remembers Yakko’s not here to make the plan with him.

And so, like the little boy he is, he wraps the blanket as tight as it can possibly go, then tighter, lying on his side, and sobs his little heart out.

Cough.

Cough.

Cough.

Cough.

Whatever else Yakko could've been thinking about takes a hike as he desperately searches through the ashes of the garden for the source of that one cough, not even entirely sure why, just knowing he needs to find the source of that cough, and find it fast.

He can’t keep his body from shaking as he drops to his knees, tears falling out of his eyes, down his face, and hitting the ground.

His movements become more frantic with every second, as the more he looks, the more his search comes up empty, but he can’t stop, not until the source of that cough shows itself.

Years from now, he’ll remember this moment, down to the last second, for the rest of his life.

He’ll remember digging with only his gloved hands through the ash, until his hands start to cramp, potentially staining his gloves permanently.

He’ll remember skinning his knees on the ash covered pavement, making him pause his efforts to inspect the damage.

He’ll remember trying to resume his digging, only to be stopped again when his muscles give out, making him land on his newly skinned knees, which in turn makes him cry out in pain.

He’ll remember the hopelessness finally setting in, for the first time since he realized their parents had thrown him out of the castle to save him.

He’ll remember curling up into a ball, and just letting the tears fall freely, in a way he knows he can’t let Wakko see, not if he’s going to be the strong one.

But most of all, he’ll remember the exact second when in some inexplicable way, through the screaming in his mind, through the hopelessness, through the skinned knees and stained gloves, he hears it.

Another cough.

And just like that, he’s able to get up, the skinned knees suddenly not hurting as much, the hopelessness moving to the back burner, and resume his search.

His efforts are rewarded when he finally sees a guard’s body, slumped over on his side.

Yakko lets out a breath he didn’t even realize he’d been holding, before he moves slowly towards the guard, reaches out to turn the guard over, and says, “Oh man, you have no idea how happy I am to--” 

Yakko’s sentence never finishes as he cuts himself off with a loud shriek, upon seeing the very dead guard’s face, eyes glazed over as he’s rolled onto his back.

Yakko’s frozen in place, both hands covering his mouth to stop himself from screaming again.

Okay Yakko, move. You need to move. That cough had to be coming from someone, so if it’s not the guard, it’s someone else.

Unfortunately his body’s not too keen on listening to his head at the moment, as he stays right where he is, unable to move even a single inch.

Until he hears another cough.

His limbs start moving of their own accord, towards the guard. He knows it’s crazy, but he just knows that wherever that cough is coming from, it’s right here, in this new section of the garden, and he’s not leaving until he finds it.

So when his dirty gloved hand hits something soft, he doesn’t know what to think, but it’s all he has to go on, so he carefully moves the dead guard’s body away, then moves some more ash aside with his free hand, carefully clearing it away.

Only to be met with a patch of black fur, not unlike his own, and in the time it takes for that to register is, quite possibly, the longest second of his life.

It’s in that second that Yakko knows, more than he’s ever known anything, that this is it.

The surprise Mom and Dad promised would be waiting for them today, whatever it is, he’s just found it.

Wait until he shows Wakko.

Very slowly, Yakko reaches for the furry thing with his other hand, slowly picking it up with both.

It’s not that heavy, maybe 5 or 6 toon pounds, but it’s light enough to where he can move it into his lap.

It takes about 5 more minutes of just sitting there in the ashes of their parents’ garden, holding whatever-it-is in his lap, before it actually registers he’s been petting whatever-it-is slowly and rhythmically, just like he used to do for Wakko.

Yakko stops instantly, like he’s been betrayed by his own hand. He doesn’t even know what this thing is, and already he’s petting it?

But that thought is immediately forgotten about when, out of nowhere, a small whine reaches his ears.

This time there’s no mistaking where it came from, and Yakko, without thinking, pulls it up to his chest, not even fully aware of what he’s doing, or how he’s actually quietly shushing it while also stroking its head gently.

What the…

Yakko pulls it away from him so he can see its face, and upon closer inspection, he can see it’s got their black and white coloring, with their signature red nose.

Then slowly, it opens its eyes, their mom’s eyes staring back at him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay that's it. I'm not promising anything anymore. If I'd known the fic was going to be this hard, I wouldn't have promised when exactly Dot was gonna show up. So let's just take it one at a time, kay? See you in the next chapter!


	5. Chapter 5

Mom’s eyes.

Dad’s nose.

Toon gloves

Small stubby tail.

That’s all Yakko’s currently able to determine as he keeps staring at the apparent newest member of the Warner family.

Oh, and apparently it’s a girl, if the flower tied around her ears is any indication.

Honestly, Yakko doesn’t know if it’s just because of everything he’s already been put through, or the fact that he now gets to be a big brother all over again, or even the fact that he finally has a little sister, but somehow, he’s fine to just stay right where he is, slowly rocking back and forth in the ashes of the ruined garden, holding her in his arms.

“Who’s the cutest girl?.” Yakko asks out loud, rubbing his nose against hers, before kicking himself. It’s not like she can answer him, or even fully understands what he’s doing.

But then, he gets a brilliant idea, and puts a finger to her mouth, making like it’s moving, and saying in a high pitched voice, “I am!”

Yakko snickers, but now he’s on a roll, so he keeps going.

“How’d you ever get so cute?”, he asks, rubbing his nose against hers again, prompting a small noise from her, which he takes as a good sign.

Then he pulls back, and says in the phony high pitched voice, “I was born that way!”

This time he full on laughs, for what feels like the first time all day, since everything happened. It feels good, but at the same time it feels foreign, almost wrong.

Then, when he looks down at his cute little baby sister again, he comes to a decision, points to her and says, “You need a name, little lady.”

Only problem with that being he has no idea what that name should be. He had no idea he’d be getting a sister, but his parents did.

And while knows it’s childish, he can’t help but feel a little bit mad at them for hiding this from him and Wakko. He already has his hands full with Wakko, and now he has to look after her too? How the hell is he supposed to do all this on his own? He’s just a kid! He shouldn’t be worried about any of this!

And just as fast as the thought comes, it’s quickly squashed and shoved away.

None of what’s happening right now is their fault, and he knows that. They had no reason to believe they wouldn’t be here. They were probably over the moon when they realized not only would they be bringing another Warner into the family, but the first Warner sister as well.

“Cute little girl like you deserves a special name, don’t you think?” Yakko asks the little girl in his arms, who makes a few even more adorable baby noises, but doesn’t reply.

“Good, so we’re in agreement. You catch on quick. Rule number one: I’m always right.” Yakko instructs, and for a moment, she looks so serious, like she might actually be listening, that for a moment, Yakko swears she looks just like their mom whenever she and Dad were giving them a lecture.

Then, “That’s it! I’m gonna name you after Mom. It’s a family name. She always talked about how her mom told her that one day when she had kids, it didn’t matter how or when it happened, she’d know which kid she should pass it down to. And now I know, without a shadow of a doubt, that it was supposed to be you.”

With that, Yakko holds her up, looks her right in the eyes, takes a deep breath, and says, “In the name of the Royal Warner Family, I declare you, Princess Angelina Contessa Louisa Francesca Banana Fana Bo Besca III.”

Yakko smiles at the thought he’s done at least one thing right, before it hits him.

“There’s no way I’m saying all that! You need a nickname.” Yakko nods in confirmation, then looks at her again. “What do you want your nickname to be? I picked your name, you should pick the nickname.”

The newly named princess looks back at him wordlessly, and that makes something in Yakko crack.

“Oh who am I trying to fool here? I’m talking to a newborn baby like she’s actually going to answer me!”

Here, Yakko stands up, walking through the garden, not really paying attention to where he’s going, but still as careful as ever as he holds his baby sister in his arms against his shoulder.

“I know you can’t talk yet, but there’s something I need you to know, okay?” Yakko tells her, standing by the Warner Family Crest on the garden wall.

“I still don’t know what’s going to happen to us. I don’t know if I’m gonna be able to take care of you, or Wakko, or any of us. But I hope, one day, years from now, you always remember how hard I’m gonna try. Everything I’m capable of making happen, it will. And if I can’t, Wakko will. I know he will.”

And that’s when he remembers, “Oh my gosh! Wakko’s a big brother! He’s waiting for us in the shack! What do you say to a little walk down the path, little missy?”

“Da!”

At that, Yakko stops dead in his tracks, lifting her so he can see her face. “What did you say?”

“DA!” She says again, pointing at something behind him.

Yakko turns himself around slowly, so as not to jostle her, only to end up confused.

“What exactly is a ‘da’?” Yakko asks, staring at the Warner Family Crest, a shield with the WB letters in the middle, with Warner Bros. under it in cursive.

Wait a second.

“Is this what you’re trying to say?” Yakko turns her around so she can see, showing her the period at the end of the Warner Bros. name.

But all that does is make her more excited, as she repeats the same sound over and over, “Da, Da, Da!”

Yakko doesn’t move for several seconds, an idea forming in his mind. The more he thinks about it, the more he likes it.

“Alright, little lady, since there’s no way I’m gonna say your full name, I’m just gonna call you Dot. Sound good to you?”

The newly nicknamed Dot flails her arms around, clapping her hands and squealing, “DA!”

Feeling bold, Yakko tries, “Can I call you Dottie?”

His efforts are rewarded with a hard smack to the nose, with a pout on her face that would’ve made Yakko laugh if she hadn’t just hit him.

“Ow!” Yakko says, rubbing his nose. “Guess you got quite the arm on you, huh?”

She’s still pouting, so Yakko quickly appeases her, “Alright, alright, I get it. Call you Dottie, we die. Duly noted. Won’t happen again.”

The pout turns to a smirk, and that’s all Yakko needs to know that if this little girl’s already got him wrapped around her tiny gloved finger, Wakko’s gonna be a goner.

Which reminds him. “Alright, Dot, what do you say we go find your other brother, and see if we can’t figure out what we’re gonna do next?”

A beat, then Dot slowly rests her head back on his shoulder, and Yakko finally starts making the walk out of the garden and towards the shack.

“We’re on our way, Wakko.”

Yakko?

Where are you?

Mum?

Dad?

All of those things are what registers first before Wakko's eyesight comes back, and the first thing he sees is the garden.

"Wha…" Wakko stutters, more than a little confused, before he feels a hand on his shoulder.

He looks up, and his face lights up immediately.

"Yakko! You're okay!", He shouts, grabbing his big brother in a hug.

Yakko goes stiff at the hug, but just pats him on the back. "Of course I'm okay. It's the first day of spring! Wouldn't miss it for anything, you know that."

“B-but--” Wakko tries to say, but then, he looks at the garden again, and for once, he’s at a loss for words.

It's just as beautiful as he remembers, all of the flowers more beautiful than they've ever been, and it's almost like they were never burned in the first place.

“H-how...” Wakko tries, but Yakko finishes for him, “Could you even think about sleeping in on the first day of spring? That’s a good question, Wakko. Now why don’t you tell me the answer?”

“No, how...” Wakko tries again, but once more, Yakko finishes, “Is it we’re still wasting time talking when we could be in the garden? Another great question, Wakko!”

Despite the confusion, Wakko has to laugh, and honestly? He can’t even remember what he was going to ask anyway.

“Forget it.” Wakko mutters, and Yakko, naturally, is all over that plan. “Forget what?”

That naturally makes Wakko laugh again, and finally, he says, “C’mon! What’re we waiting for? Where’s Mum and Dad?”

Yakko looks at him funny, before he says, “Wak, I told you. They said they needed more time to get their extra special surprise ready. They even have a guard helping them bring it out. Whatever it is, it’s gonna be big, and it’s gonna be great.”

Wakko’s not even listening, all bouncy and about to make a run for it, before Yakko stops him, saying, “Hey, where do you think you're going? You know the rules. If you’re gonna run to the garden...”

Wakko rolls his eyes, “It’s gotta be a race.”

“That’s right.” Yakko takes his starting position, then says, “But we all know you’re gonna be eating my dust.”

“Not if you’re eating mine first.” Wakko fires back, about to burst as he takes his own starting position.

“Ready...” Yakko starts, kicking up some dirt behind him.

“Set…” Wakko picks up, picking up some dirt and eating it.

“GO!” Comes the shout, and they’re off.

In reality it could’ve only been a few seconds with their toon speed, but if someone were to speed it down, they’d hear a bunch of sibling banter tossed back and forth.

“Show off!”

“Slowpoke!”

“Cheater!”

“You can’t cheat at running!”

“You have longer legs, that’s cheating!”

“I got good genes!”

“No you don’t! You’re wearing slacks!”

There’s no reply after that, so Wakko takes advantage and gives himself a speed boost to finally reach the atrium, and upon seeing the fountain, he announces, “I finally got here first!”

He turns, expecting an out-of-breath Yakko to be right behind him, only to be disappointed when there’s no one there.

“Yakko?” He calls out, confused, but all he hears is his own voice echoed back at him.

Wakko moves back to the entrance, calling out, “Yakko!”, again, but, once again, there’s no reply.

He looks along the trail they’d been running on, but there’s no trace of Yakko anywhere, not even a trace of their footprints from their race.

Wakko’s heart begins to pound, a sinking feeling in his gut, and when he looks, sure enough, he’s standing in a sinkhole.

Quickly, he digs himself out of it, only to watch as it disappears the second he’s out.

“YAKKO!” Wakko yells, but unfortunately, the third time is not the charm, because his older brother still does not appear.

He turns back to the garden, hoping Yakko’s just messing with him, even if it means he actually lost, but once he’s back at the entrance to the atrium, he’s stopped dead in his tracks.

“No, no, NO!” Wakko yells, covering his eyes with his hands.

_“Don’t look, Wakko.”_

At the sound of Yakko’s voice, Wakko’s so relieved, he starts to remove his hands.

_“I’m begging you, just this once, don’t look.”_

At that, Wakko freezes, closing his eyes and covering his ears, “Yakko, this isn’t funny! Come back right now!”

_"You don’t need to see this.”_

“Stop it! I’m not playing anymore! Just come back right now, and I promise I’ll never complain about not winning again!” Wakko pulls his cap over his eyes, falling to the ground as he tries to block the voices out.

But it’s no use, as Yakko’s distorted voice keeps speaking.

_"I'll be okay. I promise. I’m not gonna leave you by yourself.”_

“Yes you DID!” Wakko yells angrily, not caring there’s a never ending stream of tears falling out of his eyes. “You knew I was scared and you left me anyway!”

_"For once, I really need you to just listen to me.”_

“You know me better than anyone, even Mum and Dad! I _never_ listen to you! _Why did I listen to you?_ ” Wakko’s just a few octaves below outright screaming, but he doesn’t care.

“You were supposed to come back! I made you _promise_ me you were coming back!”

_“I’m not gonna let anything else happen. I’m gonna be right back.”_

“Then WHY AREN’T YOU?” 

Wakko screams himself awake, covering his mouth with one hand, while keeping the blanket wrapped tight around him.

He doesn’t move, he doesn’t speak, he’s almost scared to breathe as he slowly realizes he’s still in the shack, cold, scared, and alone.

All his senses are short circuiting, unable to focus on any one thing as he tries to force himself to calm down.

Until he hears it.

The most beautiful noise he’s ever heard in his life.

The one he’s been waiting for since Yakko made him leave the garden.

Knock-knock-knockknock-knock.

Knock-knock.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know! I can't believe how long this chapter turned out to be either! But at the cost of hurting Wakko, and for that I'm sorry. *Ducks for cover*


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hoo boy. I'm sorry, but I really need to be honest here. I sincerely struggled with this chapter, and even what I managed to push out does not feel up to my standards. 
> 
> I'm comfortable admitting that Yakko's my favorite of the group, because I relate to him the most, so his scenes and interactions with others are easier to write.
> 
> Unfortunately the same can't be said for Wakko and Dot, so writing them and their interactions with each other have proven to be more difficult, to where I had to rely on other's opinions of how they thought the characters should be portrayed.
> 
> I just felt it was important for me to tell you that, as a fair warning before reading this chapter.

Shave and a haircut

5 knocks

Two bits

2 knocks

This is the first thing Yakko tries to teach his new little sister, as they make the walk back to the makeshift shack.

“Just like this.” He says now, holding up a piece of wood as he shows her the first part, knocking 5 times, and says the jingle, “Shave and a haircut.”

Once he can see she’s paying attention, he knocks twice, and says, “Two bits. Get it?”

Dot tries to reach for it, and Yakko carefully moves it closer, watching as she tries to hit the wood, but while some of the knocks are on par, the rest, not so much.

“That’s okay sis. You know something? That was even better than when I first tried.” Yakko smiles at the thought, then goes on, “You should’ve seen Mom and Dad. I spent so much time singing the jingle instead of doing the knock, I swear they were ready to ban the jingle AND the knock altogether, just so I’d stop singing.”

Dot scrunches up her nose, then smacks the wood again, which prompts Yakko to say, “You’re just as stubborn as me, huh? Don’t really care about stories when you have something cool you can be doing, do you?”

And then, they’re at the shack, and all that’s left to do is knock on the door.

“Alright, sis. Ready to meet your other brother?”

Dot blinks at him, so Yakko fills in for her, “Course you are. Never thought any different. I told you I’m always right.”

With that, Yakko reaches up, and knocks five times, and pauses.

And it’s in that pause where Dot surprises him yet again, by reaching out a hand and doing the last two knocks herself.

Astounded, Yakko breaks out into a beautiful smile, and pulls her in for a hug.

“I knew you could do it, sis!”

Shave and a haircut knock

Heavy door

Cold air

“--do it, sis!”

This is what Wakko registers one after the other as he rushes over to the shack’s door, ready to jump on Yakko, grab him tight, and never let go or listen to him ever again.

“Yakko! I’m so glad you’re--”

And all it takes is a microsecond to stop that sentence dead in its tracks once it registers Yakko’s not alone.

“Safe?” Wakko asks hesitantly, like he’s suddenly not sure if Yakko truly is safe, or what he should do.

“Hey, Wak. I found Mom and Dad’s surprise. Can we come in?”

For one second, Wakko seriously considers saying no, just to see what Yakko would do, but one look in Yakko’s eyes tells him that’s not going to happen.

“Wak, it’s okay. I promise. They promised the surprise was special, and they were right. Don’t you want to know what it is?”

Wakko wants so badly to drop an anvil on his head for that. Yakko knows him too well, and knows he’d never pass up the special surprise.

With a low grunt, Wakko backs up, giving Yakko enough room to come inside, bringing whoever he’s holding in his arms with him.

“Wakko, shut the door. It’s cold.”

“She’s probably hungry. See if you can’t pull some baby food out of your hammerspace.”

“I need to sit on the bed. She’s probably due for a nap.”

“She’s already well on her way to mastering the knock, Waks, you should’ve seen her!”

These are the first 4 things Yakko says to Wakko, after being gone for _way too long_ , after Wakko had to endure one of his worst nightmares while waiting for Yakko to come back, and after Yakko brought back Mom and Dad’s surprise.

Wakko already doesn’t like it.

“Yakko--” but he gives up when he realizes it’s falling on deaf ears, as he watches Yakko sit on the bed with her, holding her close.

But Yakko knows better than to leave Wakko out of things, and looks up and says, “C’mere, Wak. I think it’s time you met your little sister.”

Little sister.

Little. Sister.

Lit-le sis-ster.

LITTLE SISTER?

It’s a miracle Wakko’s brain can’t speak of its own accord, otherwise it would be screaming right about now.

He moves slowly to the bed, sitting on the edge so he’s still as far away as possible.

But Yakko won’t have that, “Little closer, sib. Don’t you want to meet her?”

No he does not, but it’s clear Yakko’s not going to give him any attention until he does, so he reluctantly moves closer.

“That’s better. Wakko, I’d like you to meet, by decree of the Royal Warner Family, Princess Angelina Contessa Louisa Francesca Banana Fana Bo Besca III.”

Wakko, having always taken a shine to remembering long words and names, knows it immediately.

“She’s named after Mum?” Wakko screeches, prompting Yakko to look at him. “But that’s supposed to be Mum’s choice!”

The way Yakko visibly flinches upon hearing that, you’d think Wakko just managed to make him bleed for real.

But Yakko knows better than to lose his temper, especially right now, and just lets out a deep sigh, and says, “I know, Wak, but Mom’s not here.”

Wakko keeps shaking his head, not listening, about to get up from the bed, but miraculously, he feels a hand on his arm, keeping him in place.

He looks, and to his surprise, instead of Yakko, it’s the little furry creature Yakko’s been holding all this time. Apparently while Wakko was silently wigging out, she’d crawled over to his side of the mattress, pulled herself upright enough to almost be sitting, and grabbed his arm, looking at him.

Yakko takes advantage of this, and says, “Looks like she wants to meet you too. Why don’t you pick her up so you can hold her?”

It’s only because of the warning look in Yakko’s eyes that Wakko doesn’t push her off and try to get up from the bed. 

It’s not fair! He just got his big brother back, and now he has to share him with this, this...furry creature?

“Wakko...” Yakko says in warning, and Wakko knows better than to push his luck when that tone’s aimed at him, so he knows he has no choice but to listen.

With a sigh, he reaches out to pick up the furry thing with both hands, Yakko helping him adjust her so she won’t be jostled too much, and once she’s in a comfortable position, Yakko smiles.

“Now that’s what I’m talking about. The Warner brothers!”

The furry animal in his arms makes a noise, and Yakko quickly amends, “And the Warner sister.”

Seriously? Yakko was gone what, 30 minutes, and now he’s making her part of the Warner family?

This was wrong. This was all wrong. No garden, almost losing Yakko, and now Yakko’s not even paying him any attention, all because of her!

“Wakko, be careful! You don’t want to--”

But Dot manages to surprise them both, Yakko for a second time, as she reaches up and grabs Wakko’s nose, prompting horns to come out of his ears and honk, loudly.

Wakko is furious. No one’s supposed to know how to do that except their parents, and Yakko.

Who does she think she--

And then, before Wakko can finish the thought, it disappears with the rest of them, drowned out by a noise he never could’ve predicted he’d be hearing, and from Yakko’s look, it’s his first time hearing it too.

She's laughing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Faboo! You finished! Now, tell me. Was it as bad as I feared? Worse? Be honest. 
> 
> But, seriously, folks, I welcome any and all comments, because I only want to write the Warners as closely to canon as possible, so don't be scared to tell me.
> 
> I'm thinking there's going to be one more chapter, where they decide what the plan is, and maybe an epilogue, years later, not long before the movie starts.
> 
> See you there!


	7. Chapter 7

Laughing.

She’s laughing.

A full blown laugh.

That’s the signature Warner laugh.

Those thoughts progress one by one in Yakko’s mind as he and Wakko both stare at her with their mouths hanging open, while she keeps laughing it up.

Yakko’s the first to recover, as he covers his mouth with both hands, elated as he exclaims, “Wak! Your baby sister is laughing. You’re the first one to ever make her laugh!”

That seems to snap Wakko out of his own shock, as he looks down at her again, looking into her eyes as her mouth stays wide open as she keeps laughing.

Her sister is laughing at him, their mom’s eyes shining back at him.

Wait, what? That’s not right. He’s supposed to resent her, not call him her sister! He’s very, very--

His arms aren’t listening, as he wraps them around her tiny body, aware of the worried look in Yakko’s eyes as he does so.

He needn’t have worried, though.

Wakko reaches up with one hand to her chin, and slowly, but surely, tickles her throat.

That turns her laughing into a full blown squeal, and immediately, Yakko’s worry vanishes, scooting closer.

“Hey, how about letting the big big brother in on some of that action?” He quips, reaching out with his own hand.

Wakko playfully attempts to swat Yakko’s hand away, but they’re both relentless, so they wind up both tickling her at the same time, making her squeals even louder, as they scooch her up to the head of the mattress, where the pillow’s resting.

“Tickle fight!” Yakko exclaims, taking his free hand to try and land one on Wakko.

Wakko, in turn, does the same right back, putting them in a weird acute angle where they’re both simultaneously tickling Dot as well as each other.

The fight goes on for several more minutes, until finally, Dot’s all laughed out, and both Yakko and Wakko’s fingers are starting to cramp.

Finally relenting, they both lift their fingers off of Dot’s chin, watching as she closes her eyes, mouth turned up in what almost looks like a smile.

“How much you wanna bet that’s gas?” Wakko jokes, making Yakko sputter.

“Wak, come on! What does she know about petroleum? She can’t even talk yet!”

Wakko rolls his eyes, and changes the subject, “So she’s Mum and Dad’s surprise, huh?”

Yakko nods, “Yeppers. Ain’t she great?”

Wakko nods in agreement. “She’s gonna be the best thing that ever happened to us.”

For a while, Yakko lets Wakko believe, just for a little longer, that everything’s going to be okay.

They both keep eating from the gag bag, even pulling out new stuff from their hammerstpaces when the gag bag finally runs out.

They make jokes, make up games, and all the while, Yakko tells Wakko stories about their parents. Good stories, ones that make you smile instead of sad.

By the time they’re both almost too tired to keep their eyes open, Yakko contemplates waiting another day before things have to get serious.

Today was a good day, why ruin it?

But as much as Yakko would like that to be so, he also knows he can’t, not if they’re going to survive on their own.

Like it or not, this conversation needs to happen now, before they can let themselves fall asleep, and while Dot’s still asleep.

Taking a deep breath, Yakko clears his throat, “Wak…” and once he has Wakko’s attention, he finishes, “There’s something I need to tell you.”

They’re gone.

They’re not coming back.

They’re all that’s left of the Warner family.

Mum and Dad are dead.

That’s all Wakko’s mind is capable of processing as Yakko finally finishes telling him about how he woke up with the castle on fire, pulled him out of the fire while he was still asleep, went back inside to try and rescue their parents, only to be thrown back out right when Yakko almost had them, and how the fire was caused by someone destroying the garden.

“Wakko?” Yakko asks softly, voice giving away his concern, but Wakko can’t find it in him to answer.

But that doesn’t stop Yakko, as he reaches out with both arms and pulls Wakko into his lap, patting his back and stroking his fur.

Immediately, Wakko’s body relaxes, in a way his mind refuses to. 

This, right here, is what he’d been missing since Yakko finally came back from the garden. Nothing can make him feel as safe as Yakko does just by holding him like this. It’s because of this that Wakko feels absolutely no shame in letting himself cry, full blown sobs tearing themselves out of his throat as he buries his face into Yakko’s chest.

“It’s okay, Wak. Just let it out. I’m not going anywhere.” Yakko whispers into his ear quietly, fighting off his own tears threatening to fall; Wakko needs him to be strong right now, his tears can wait.

“Mum...Dadoo.” Wakko whimpers, grabbing Yakko’s waist tightly, like he’s trying to squeeze the hurt out.

“I’m sorry, Wakko, I’m so sorry.” Yakko says, one tear finally falling out. “I could’ve gotten them out, and I didn’t. I’m so sorry.”

At that, Wakko looks up, and upon seeing the devastated look on his big brother's face, immediately sits up so they’re face to face.

“No!” Wakko shouts, making Yakko flinch, surprised by the sudden volume. “Don’t you dare! D’you even know how scared I was, waiting for you to come back? Do you?”

Wakko’s screeching by now, but he doesn’t care. Yakko scared him something awful, and now he’s going to know about it, like it or not.

“I was s-scared out of my m-mind thinking the b-bad men had grabbed you, or w-worse. So don’t you dare ap-pologize for making it out alive. I’d rather lose Mum and Dad all over again before losing you!”

Wakko covers his mouth with his hand, shocked by what he just said. But Yakko doesn’t scold him for it, just pulls him back into his chest.

“You don’t mean that, Wak. You’re just in shock.” Yakko tries to explain gently, but Wakko won’t let him.

“No, I’m not. And you know I’m not. What if it was me?” Wakko fires back, knowing he succeeded in getting his point across when Yakko flinches like he’d just been hit with a mallet.

“Wakko--.” Yakko starts, but then cuts himself off. He wants more than anything to say it’s not true, that he’d always choose to save their parents, but he knows he can’t.

If it was between their parents and Wakko, then there wasn’t really a choice at all. He’d do exactly what he had done when he’d woken up this morning.

Resigned, Yakko sighs loudly, then admits, “Okay, Wak, I get it. You’re right. But that doesn’t change the fact that it’s just the Warner brothers against the world.”

“And the Warner sister.” Wakko corrects, surprising even himself.

“And the Warner sister.” Yakko quickly amends. “But Wakko, I’m trying to tell you that we need to start thinking about what we’re going to do once we leave.”

At that, Wakko moves back to look at the oldest Warner, “Leave?”

Yakko sighs again, confirming his worry that Wakko hasn’t fully grasped what their parents’ death actually means. “Wak, I’m sorry, I really am, but we have to leave the castle.”

Wakko’s eyes go wide at the revelation, already making protests, “Nononono, I don’t wanna go, we can stay here, I like it here. Don’wannago-- ”

Yakko stops him, “Wakko, we need to be realistic here. I just built this shack as a temporary shelter so you wouldn’t be lying on the cold ground while I went back inside. It wasn’t made to be lived in.”

Wakko keeps shaking his head, the enormity of everything that happened today finally becoming too much. “No...”

“Wak, come on. You know I wouldn’t say we have to leave unless we had to. Well, now we have to.” Yakko pleads with him. If Wakko flat out refused to leave, he’d either have to find a way to convince him, or find a way to make the shack work.

And yeah, Wakko does know that, deep down. But it doesn’t mean he has to like it.

“W-where would we go? Where can we go?” Wakko asks quietly, almost scared of the answer.

If telling Wakko their parents were dead and that they had to leave the only home they’ve ever known was bad, he can only imagine how much worse his reaction to this next part is going to be.

“I was thinking...what if we went to the orphanage?” Yakko asks, steeling himself.

Sure enough, Wakko’s reaction is instantaneous. “Are you mad?”

“No, I’ve actually been taking anger management classes, but thanks for asking.” Yakko tries to joke, but it doesn’t quite land, earning a death glare from his younger sibling.

“That orphanage is terrible! Even when Mum and Dad had us go down there to volunteer on holidays, we knew how badly run the place was. The adults even hate regular human children! And you want to bring our little sister there?”

If the conversation wasn’t so serious, Yakko would be touched at how protective Wakko sounds over Dot, in comparison to when he first met her.

Yakko shakes his head, admitting, “I know, Wak. But what choice do we have? We’re just kids, and we don’t know anything about taking care of ourselves. Or a baby.”

Here, they both look at Dot, who’s still sleeping soundly, a finger absently finding its way into her mouth as she sucks on it.

“But what if they separate us? Or try to take her away from us?” Wakko asks hysterically, on the verge of bursting into tears all over again.

There’s no way Yakko can let him think that, “Hey, no. Stop.”, and hugs him tighter, in reassurance. “That’s not going to happen. If they so much as try, we’ll make them our Special Friends. They’re not separating the Warners.”

Wakko buries his face in Yakko’s chest, voice slightly muffled as he whimpers, “B-but what if they take you and I can’t stop ‘em?”

Yakko takes Wakko’s head in both of his gloved hands, voice completely serious as he says, “Then you take Dot, and you run.” Seeing Wakko about to protest, Yakko immediately cuts him off, “No buts, sib. If anything happens to me, I need to know you two will be okay. So if that means you taking Dot and leaving, you do it.”

There’s no humanly or toonly possible way Wakko’s ever going to let any of those things happen, but knowing better than to argue with Yakko when he’s using his serious voice, he nods, tongue hanging out the side.

But maybe Yakko’s not entirely clueless, because he says next, “It wouldn’t be forever, Wak. Just until I at the very least age out and can legally adopt you two. We can worry about what happens after that.”

Years. Yakko’s talking about spending years at the orphanage, just so they have somewhere to live. 

Wakko hates everything about this plan, but at the same time, he knows it’s the only one they have, one that might work in their favor.

Now it’s Wakko’s turn to sigh, “Fine. But can we at least wait a few more days before we go?”

Yakko looks like he wants to protest, but Wakko’s quick to tack on, “Please? I know we have to go, but just a few more days? Pleeeease?”

Aw hell. Yakko doesn’t stand a chance with both the please and the big doe eyes Wakko’s flashing at him. 

He’ll need to make a mental note to never let him teach Dot that trick. One sibling that knows it is bad enough.

Yakko relents, “Alright, fine. We’ll stay for a few more days. But, if I think we’re not safe here anymore, I don’t care how many days it’s been, we leave. Got it?”

Wakko nods, eyes landing on Dot’s sleeping form on the mattress.

“What’re we gonna tell her?”

Fire.

Smoke.

Ash. 

Screaming.

It’s from these things this little family was borned from, in a makeshift shack outside the Warner palace, as Yakko Warner, heir to the throne, pulls Dot into his arms, gestures for Wakko to join him on the bed, and begins to speak,

“Once upon a time, a brave knight married a beautiful princess, and they had two sons...”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The last chapter will be an epilogue of sorts, but you don't need to read it for the whole story.


	8. Epilogue

“...And they’d say, can we call you Dottie? And you’d say,”

“No! Call me Dottie and you die!”

“And Mom and Dad would laugh and laugh, and they’d tickle you, and you’d laugh too!”

A fit of giggles, followed by a harsh cough.

This has become their routine since the orphanage closed down, and they decided to stay, so at the very least, they’d have a roof over their heads.

He and Wakko will head out to find jobs, only to come up empty. They’ll hunt for non cartoon rabbits for food, not that it does much for their dangerously skinny bodies. If by chance they do make money, they use it on Dot’s medicine, so at the very least she won’t fall asleep coughing.

And then, every single night, without fail, Dot begs Yakko for her favorite story, about the day she was born, and very rarely does he refuse.

If Yakko’s being completely honest, the more he tells it, the easier it is to tell, and the more he finds himself wishing it was true.

Which sends him down a whole different downward spiral that has nothing to do with his he remembers what actually happened, and everything to do with the fact that he’s actively lying to his little sister to make her feel better.

It didn’t start off that way. When he first told it to Wakko, all those years ago, Wakko had even called him on it.

“There’s no way she’ll believe that story! It doesn’t even make sense! Toon’s only pop out of flowers for a gag! They’re not born that way!”

And yeah, on some level he was right. But she was also just a baby when that happened, so she didn’t really know any of that yet. Yakko had been banking on that, and so far, it’s worked.

It breaks his heart to think one day he’ll go to start the story, and she’ll finally tell him she knows it’s not true. Or that one day she’ll stop asking him to tell her, and he’ll stop giving in, even when it’s late and she should be sleeping.

But for right now, all that really matters is that she likes it, enough to ask for it on a regular basis, and he’s not about to dissuade her.

Because as far as Yakko’s concerned, anything that takes her mind off of being sick, even for just a moment, is something worth repeating as many times as necessary, even if it’s not true.

“And you’d fall asleep with a great big smile in your heart.”

Cough.

“I like that story.”

“Goodnight, sis.”

This is how they always end her favorite story, right before Yakko kisses her goodnight. And no matter how many times he tells it, it never gets old.

It hasn’t been that long since the orphanage closed down, and they chose to stay so they’d have somewhere to sleep.

She’d tried to protest they could all share the bed, instead of her having it all to herself, but both of her brothers refused. She needs her beauty sleep, they said, and she doesn’t need them hogging the sheets.

Which is true, but it doesn’t mean now and again she doesn’t feel bad.

Just add it to the list of things she’s come to blame herself for, since she was old enough to understand.

They used to live in a castle, but they’re living in an orphanage. That had to have something to do with her, but every time she tried to ask them, they’d just share a look and tell her she didn’t need to worry about something like that. It was years ago. No use dwelling on what used to be.

It’s not like she’s naive enough to believe that, so of course it didn’t take long for her to figure out they came to the orphanage because, even if they never admitted it out loud, they couldn’t take care of her by themselves. Or that they stayed in this dinky old building because she got sick, and thought their chances were better at least somewhat protected from the elements.

Sometimes, on a really bad day, when she’s coughing hard enough to where she can’t breathe, and her brothers are already right next to her as they wait it out with her, trying to help her shake whatever it is loose, she’s tempted to yell at them. Demand they stop keeping her in the dark when it comes to things that concern her, like what they’re going to do when there’s a change of plans. Or to stop fussing over her, because she can see how exhausted they are, one of them working odd jobs to pay for her medicine, having to ration what little food they manage to find, and without fail, making sure she has the biggest portion.

But then, right as the coughing fit stops, she'll see the relieved look on their faces, her mind immediately flooding with memories of the dark look in their eyes whenever she catches them whispering. Or how, despite how much she hates it, there’s always a small glimmer of happiness as they watch her eat, because it means she’s still not sick enough to where she can’t.

It’s those memories that help whatever’s attacking her lungs to finally come loose enough to where it’s just back to a nagging cough, and whatever resolve she had as it started, promptly falls apart.

But even she has to admit, even with all that, it’s not all bad.

Like storytime. Without a doubt, it’s the best part of her routine, because it doesn’t matter when she asks for it, even after it’s late and she should’ve already gone to bed, Yakko always obliges.

But the absolute best part of storytime is, of course, the story.

Yakko’s been telling it to her since before she could even talk, and every time, it never fails to make her warm inside.

But more than that, is Yakko himself as he tells it. Her big brother’s always been a master storyteller, always gesturing with his hands for emphasis, and rubbing his nose with hers to make her laugh.

Not for the first time, Dot couldn’t help but wonder if there’s anyone else lucky enough to have a big brother like Yakko. Her sweet, selfless big brother, who willingly goes through who-knows-what on a regular basis, just to keep everyone together.

And of course that calls up memories of when the orphanage was still open, and they tried to have a family separate them, her and Wakko together, and leave Yakko behind.

Needless to say, it didn’t work. Even as the family tried to drag them away, Yakko wouldn’t hear of it, ripping up the adoption papers, dropping an anvil on the family car, even throwing pies in their faces until they were running from the building, claiming they changed their minds.

And Yakko, looking all wide eyed and innocent, had played it all off as a joke, asking, “Was it something I said?”

The sudden darkness in the room brings her out of her thoughts, and as she watches him walk out of the room, she says quietly, as she rolls over to close her eyes,

“G’night...dad.”

She doesn’t see the way Yakko stops suddenly, the look of combined love and utter devastation on his face, or the tears that spring into his eyes, upon hearing her.

She doesn’t hear any of Wakko’s harp playing, or when it stops so Yakko can talk to him.

She doesn’t feel Wakko come in and drop a kiss on her forehead, and wish her goodnight before going to bed himself.

No, when sleep finally takes her over, and she slowly closes her eyes, the only thing on her mind is her favorite story, and the true hero of said story, the brave knight that told it for his beautiful princess.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aaaaaaaaand it's finished! Wh-hoo! How did I do?
> 
> Would you believe the very last line was the one that gave me the most trouble?
> 
> Heck, given how long it took me to write, maybe you can.
> 
> *Blows kiss* Goodnight everybody!
> 
> Now come cry with me on my current fanfic: 
> 
> https://archiveofourown.org/works/28841925
> 
> Don't forget to vote!

**Author's Note:**

> Comments comments comments!


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